This is a fight between the powerful and the small: MP S.M. Marikkar

Colombo (News 1st): A group of UNP members had convened a media briefing in Colombo today (October 4). Speaking at the media briefing UNP MP S.M. Marikkar noted that even if Gotabaya Rajapaksa comes or even if Chamal Rajapaksa comes they can't stop it from being ruled by the family. He noted that there are 30 in the cabinet 6 out of 30 say that 20% of it is in the same family, but we know in the previous government there were only three Basil, Chamal and Mahinda Rajapaksa. He said 75 % of the government's budget was taken by these three. He questioned as to how it would be if 6 out of 30 came, accordingly, 95% of the budget will be taken by that family. However, he noted that today it is a fight between the powerful and the small man, between the landlord and the poor man. He added that the fight of the underprivileged class of society is based in their camp. Marikkar said those who vote for the SLPP are the ones who support the landlords, the people who vote for Sajith Premadasa support the poor man in this country, this group wants the underprivileged class to emerge in this country. UNP Minister Harin Fernando who was also present at the media briefing noted that they can clearly understand that it is a political force that is behind all of these strike actions. He said the people do not have a train to travel in. He stressed that these trade union actions are clearly done for political needs to inconvenience the general public of this country. Adding to this UNP MP Manusha Nanayakkara said if they can close down schools for their political needs, if they can continue a teachers and principal's strike actions for days, if they can close down universities and destroy the education of the future generations of this country, if they can force the commuters in trains to fight for their lives every day, and if they can force soldiers who sacrificed their hands and legs for the country to protest in the rain for their political needs, then there is nothing that they cannot do.